sarrasine-第5章

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inclination　led　him；　often　rebelled；　and　sometimes　remained　for　whole
hours　at　a　time　buried　in　tangled　meditations；　engaged　now　in　watching
his　comrades　at　play；　now　in　forming　mental　pictures　of　Homer's
heroes。　And；　when　he　did　choose　to　amuse　himself；　he　displayed
extraordinary　ardor　in　his　games。　Whenever　there　was　a　contest　of　any
sort　between　a　comrade　and　himself；　it　rarely　ended　without　bloodshed。
If　he　were　the　weaker；　he　would　use　his　teeth。　Active　and　passive　by
turns；　either　lacking　in　aptitude；　or　too　intelligent；　his　abnormal
temperament　caused　him　to　distrust　his　masters　as　much　as　his
schoolmates。　Instead　of　learning　the　elements　of　the　Greek　language；
he　drew　a　picture　of　the　reverend　father　who　was　interpreting　a
passage　of　Thucydides；　sketched　the　teacher　of　mathematics；　the
prefect；　the　assistants；　the　man　who　administered　punishment；　and
smeared　all　the　walls　with　shapeless　figures。　Instead　of　singing　the
praises　of　the　Lord　in　the　chapel；　he　amused　himself；　during　the
services；　by　notching　a　bench；　or；　when　he　had　stolen　a　piece　of　wood；
he　would　carve　the　figure　of　some　saint。　If　he　had　no　wood　or　stone　or
pencil；　he　worked　out　his　ideas　with　bread。　Whether　he　copied　the
figures　in　the　pictures　which　adorned　the　choir；　or　improvised；　he
always　left　at　this　seat　rough　sketches；　whose　obscene　character　drove
the　young　fathers　to　despair；　and　the　evil…tongued　alleged　that　the
Jesuits　smiled　at　them。　At　last；　if　we　are　to　believe　college
traditions；　he　was　expelled　because；　while　awaiting　his　turn　to　go　to
the　confessional　one　Good　Friday；　he　carved　a　figure　of　the　Christ
from　a　stick　of　wood。　The　impiety　evidenced　by　that　figure　was　too
flagrant　not　to　draw　down　chastisement　on　the　artist。　He　had　actually
had　the　hardihood　to　place　that　decidedly　cynical　image　on　the　top　of
the　tabernacle！

〃Sarrasine　came　to　Paris　to　seek　a　refuge　against　the　threats　of　a
father's　malediction。　Having　one　of　those　strong　wills　which　know　no
obstacles；　he　obeyed　the　behests　of　his　genius　and　entered
Bouchardon's　studio。　He　worked　all　day　and　went　about　at　night　begging
for　subsistence。　Bouchardon；　marveling　at　the　young　artist's
intelligence　and　rapid　progress；　soon　divined　his　pupil's　destitute
condition；　he　assisted　him；　became　attached　to　him；　and　treated　him
like　his　own　child。　Then；　when　Sarrasine's　genius　stood　revealed　in
one　of　those　works　wherein　future　talent　contends　with　the
effervescence　of　youth；　the　generous　Bouchardon　tried　to　restore　him
to　the　old　attorney's　good　graces。　The　paternal　wrath　subsided　in　face
of　the　famous　sculptor's　authority。　All　Besancon　congratulated　itself
on　having　brought　forth　a　future　great　man。　In　the　first　outburst　of
delight　due　to　his　flattered　vanity；　the　miserly　attorney　supplied　his
son　with　the　means　to　appear　to　advantage　in　society。　The　long　and
laborious　study　demanded　by　the　sculptor's　profession　subdued　for　a
long　time　Sarrasine's　impetuous　temperament　and　unruly　genius。
Bouchardon；　foreseeing　how　violently　the　passions　would　some　day　rage
in　that　youthful　heart；　as　highly　tempered　perhaps　as　Michelangelo's；
smothered　its　vehemence　with　constant　toil。　He　succeeded　in
restraining　within　reasonable　bounds　Sarrasine's　extraordinary
impetuosity；　by　forbidding　him　to　work；　by　proposing　diversions　when
he　saw　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　plunging　into　dissipation。　But　with
that　passionate　nature；　gentleness　was　always　the　most　powerful　of　all
weapons；　and　the　master　did　not　acquire　great　influence　over　his　pupil
until　he　had　aroused　his　gratitude　by　fatherly　kindness。

〃At　the　age　of　twenty…two　Sarrasine　was　forcibly　removed　from　the
salutary　influence　which　Bouchardon　exercised　over　his　morals　and　his
habits。　He　paid　the　penalty　of　his　genius　by　winning　the　prize　for
sculpture　founded　by　the　Marquis　de　Marigny；　Madame　de　Pompadour's
brother；　who　did　so　much　for　art。　Diderot　praised　Bouchardon's　pupil's
statue　as　a　masterpiece。　Not　without　profound　sorrow　did　the　king's
sculptor　witness　the　departure　for　Italy　of　a　young　man　whose　profound
ignorance　of　the　things　of　life　he　had；　as　a　matter　of　principle；
refrained　from　enlightening。　Sarrasine　was　Bouchardon's　guest　for　six
years。　Fanatically　devoted　to　his　art；　as　Canova　was　at　a　later　day；
he　rose　at　dawn　and　went　to　the　studio；　there　to　remain　until　night；
and　lived　with　his　muse　alone。　If　he　went　to　the　Comedie…Francaise；　he
was　dragged　thither　by　his　master。　He　was　so　bored　at　Madame
Geoffrin's；　and　in　the　fashionable　society　to　which　Bouchardon　tried
to　introduce　him；　that　he　preferred　to　remain　alone；　and　held　aloof
from　the　pleasures　of　that　licentious　age。　He　had　no　other　mistresses
than　sculpture　and　Clotilde；　one　of　the　celebrities　of　the　Opera。　Even
that　intrigue　was　of　brief　duration。　Sarrasine　was　decidedly　ugly；
always　badly　dressed；　and　naturally　so　independent；　so　irregular　in
his　private　life；　that　the　illustrious　nymph；　dreading　some
catastrophe；　soon　remitted　the　sculptor　to　love　of　the　arts。　Sophie
Arnould　made　some　witty　remark　on　the　subject。　She　was　surprised；　I
think；　that　her　colleague　was　able　to　triumph　over　statues。

〃Sarrasine　started　for　Italy　in　1758。　On　the　journey　his　ardent
imagination　took　fire　beneath　a　sky　of　copper　and　at　the　sight　of　the
marvelous　monuments　with　which　the　fatherland　of　the　arts　is　strewn。
He　admired　the　statues；　the　frescoes；　the　pictures；　and；　fired　with　a
spirit　of　emulation；　he　went　on　to　Rome；　burning　to　inscribe　his　name
between　the　names　of　Michelangelo　and　Bouchardon。　At　first；　therefore；
he　divided　his　time　between　his　studio　work　and　examination　of　the
works　of　art　which　abound　in　Rome。　He　had　already　passed　a　fortnight
in　the　ecstatic　state　into　which　all　youthful　imaginations　fall　at　the
sight　of　the　queen　of　ruins；　when　he　happened　one　evening　to　enter　the
Argentina　theatre；　in　front　of　which　there　was　an　enormous　crowd。　He
inquired　the　reasons　for　the　presence　of　so　great　a　throng；　and　every
one　answered　by　two　names：

〃　'Zambinella！　Jomelli！'

〃He　entered　and　took　a　seat　in　the　pit；　crowded　between　two
unconscionably　stout　/abbati/；　but　luckily　he　was　quite　near　the
stage。　The　curtain　rose。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　heard　the
music　whose　charms　Monsieur　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau　had　extolled　so
eloquently　at　one　of　Baron　d'Holbach's　evening　parties。　The　young
sculptor's　senses　were　lubricated；　so　to　speak；　by　Jomelli's
harmonious　strains。　The　languorous　peculiarities　of　those　skilfully
blended　Italian　voices　plunged　him　in　an　ecstasy　of　delight。　He　sat
there；　mute　and　motionless；　not　even　conscious　of　the　crowding　of　the
two　priests。　His　soul　poured　out　through　his　ears　and　his　eyes。　He
seemed　to　be　listening　with　every　one　of　his　pores。　Suddenly　a
whirlwind　of　applause　greeted　the　appearance　of　the　prima　donna。　She
came　forward　coquettishly　to　the　footlights　and　curtsied　to　the
audience　with　infinite　grace。　The　brilliant　light；　the　enthusiasm　of　a
vast　multitude；　the　illusion　of　the　stage；　the　glamour　of　a　costume
which　was　most　attractive　for　the　time；　all　conspired　in　that　woman's
favor。　Sarrasine　cried　aloud　with　pleasure。　He　saw　before　him　at　that
moment　the　ideal　beauty　whose　perfections　he　had　hitherto　sought　here
and　there　in　nature；　taking　from　one　model；　often　of　humble　rank；　the
rounded　outline　of　a　shapely　leg；　from　another　the　contour　of　the
breast；　from　another　her　white　shoulders；　stealing　the　neck　of　that
young　girl；　the　hands　of　this　woman；　and　the　polished　knees　of　yonder
child；　but　never　able　to　find　beneath　the　cold　skies　of　Paris　the　rich
and　satisfying　creations　of　ancient　Greece。　La　Zambinella　displayed　in
her　single　person；　intensely　alive　and　delicate　beyond　words；　all
those　exquisite　proportions　of　the　female　form　which　he　had　so
ardently　longed　to　behold；　and　of　which　a　sculptor　is　the　most　severe
and　at　the　same　time　the　most　passionate　judge。　She　had　an　expressive
mouth；　eyes　instinct　with　love；　flesh　of　dazzling　whiteness。　And　add
to　these　details；　which　would　have　filled　a　painter's　soul　with
rapture；　all　the　marvelous　charms　of　the　Venuses　worshiped　and　copied
by　the　chisel　of　the　Greeks。　The　artist　did　not